POLL: More Americans critical than positive about CDC communication on Covid-19

The following is from Gallup.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• 32% agree, 41% disagree that the CDC has communicated a clear plan
• Ratings of President Biden’s communication are now divided
• Governors’ ratings remain positive but are worst to date

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More Americans now disagree (41%) than agree (32%) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has communicated a clear plan of action in response to the COVID-19 situation. This is the first Gallup reading since the CDC in late July changed its guidance on the need for face masks for unvaccinated people in areas of high coronavirus transmission.

Read more from Gallup here.

The public’s opinions about CDC communication have varied throughout the pandemic. They have been more critical than positive at other times besides now. These include September 2020, when there was concern about premature approval of COVID-19 vaccines, and January 2021, when infections and deaths peaked and the federal government struggled with the initial vaccine rollout.

Since March, Americans had tended to be more inclined to agree than disagree that the CDC was communicating a clear plan.